Ramsey Resident - 1983 - January

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POLICE GOING I may as well start this column, the first one I will be doing for the Ramsey Resident , with the most thorny subject I can think of and get it over with...for awhile~ DOGS ~ DOGS ~ DOGS ~ Please understand, at the outset, that I like dogs and have had the pleasure of their company all my life. I have sniffed and sniffed at many canine internments and to this day I can still visualize 01' Buddy romping in that big rabbit injected woods in the sky and get choked up. In fact, I am writing this because I am incensed at the treatment many so called pet lovers give to their dogs. All too frequently, Rover is ac- quired to become the family pet, without much thought given to the subsequent need for his/her care. For this article I will confine my concern with care to the proper reg- ulation of Rover's freedom of move- ment. Many of Rovers, spots', 01' Yellers, etc. go to that aforemen- tioned woods in the sky on streets and highways and I would venture to say that in the very vast majority NEWS . . . TO THE DAWGS! Sometimes, the offended neighbor, if the owner is known, will call the owner and ask that the dog be tied up and this is the preferred first step. If that doesn't solve the problem, we get called and animal control picks up the poor mutt. More frequently than not, there are no tags what-so-ever on Rover so it is hauled in. If the owner doesn't call us or the dog pound in five days, Rover either goes to the Uni- versity of Minnesota, not to matri- culate, I might add, or is dispat- ched to that fabled woods, etc., etc. Enter now, the owner, weeping, wailing and teeth-gnashing, who blames the police, the city, the dog catcher, the dog, everybody except.. . guess who? What this all boils down to is simple: tie your dog, kennel your dog, control your dog if it is a problem to the neighbors. Get rab- ies shots, put the tag on a collar and put both on the dog so it can be healthy and identifiable. If all this is too much trouble, be humane and don't have a dog. SNOWMOBILE ORACULAR The snowmobile season is well upon us and, obviously, the ground is not rather covered with snowmobile weed. This first issue of the Ramsey ~s- ident is a fine time to let every- body know the basic rules for snow- mobiles in Ramsey and, hopefully, everybody with a "sled" will read this. Unfortunately, some who read it will pay no heed and go their merry 3-toed way oblivious to the rights of others. It seems that the winter brings out other flakes than snowflakes! As it stands now, Ramsey has no snowmobile ordinance and goes en- tirely by state statutes which, by the way, are quite reasonable and liberal. HOWEVER it does not take a master of prognostication to pre- dict that within a couple of years we will have our own ordinance, whi- ch will be quite restrictive. "Why?" you ask. It's really quite simple. It seems that there is that good old 10% who feel that the only rights which are valid, personal or public, are theirs and let the devil take the hindmost. They race up and down the streets, mufflerless machines blaring; they drive over people's yards and sometimes their bushes and trees and they buzz around in one small area until 3:00 AM and heaven help the poor soul who dares to com- plain. That person will get his yard thoroughly torn up some night~ Parents who wouldn't ever consider letting their children have the fam- ily car, give a ten, eleven or twel- ve year old 440 cubic centimeters of power and let them go where they please. Of course Junior will drive slowly and stay in the proper areas and off yards ~ Who could doubt that? Junior's lack of common sense and youthful exuberance and desire for fun disappears when he gets on that of cases, the fault is not the dogs or drivers, but rather, the owners. And we so frequently hear the plain- ative cry, "I just can't seem to keep him/her tied securely." (When did they stop making anchor chain?) or, "if I have to keep that poor thing tied all the time I'd rather not have it al all. II, (Wonderful ~ Do the beastie a favor and don't ac- quire it in the first place~) Now, if the dog is able to surv- ive crossing the streets, he goes to the neighbors...near and far. This is just fine, if the neighbor does- n't object and/or has a dog also who is a sniffing buddy of the other dog and both mutually trespass without complaint. But such is not always the case and very often the neigh- bors are not enamored with 'roaming Rover' who fertilizes their yards, upsets garbage cans and attacks rab- bits. During his travels he may also tangle with a skunk or squirrel and contact rabies. If he has had shots however, there is no worry, but the owner who constantly allows the dog to run probably hasn't had it vaccinated either. "sled" and he is a model child: If you believed that, I've got this bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you~ And it is really not the kids fault in that we, as parents, some- times have to say no for their own good. And last, but not least, we have the case of the booze befuddled brain which tells the temple in which it is housed that it is capable of superhuman feats with the machine, when in reality, it's nerve impulses are about 50 yards behind the first obstruction which looms up and... crash~ Will we have a restrictive ordin.- ance? Yes...if there isn't a real effort made by afficianados of snow- mobiling to curb the abuses of othe~ and cooperate. Narcing, squealing, ratting, I don't care what you want to call it, it can also be responsi- bility towards your community and your own pursuit of pleasure. As it stands now, what follows is basically what we go by under the laws of the State of Minnesota. By the way, you can pick up a copy of Snowmobile Safety Laws, Rules and Regulations at the Police Dept at no charge. It is recommended read- ing, since I am only touching on the rules in this column. "No snowmobile can be operated or transported unless it is registered in the State." "The registration number must be displayed in letters of at least 3" high and a 3/8" str- oke on the machine, clearly visible." "Snowmobiles can not be operated on the roadway, shoulder or inside bank or slope of any trunk, county state aid or county highway." "You must have a headlamp, tail lamp, 16 square inch minimum refle- ctive material on each side of the machine forward of the handle bars and brakes." "All provisions of chapter 169 (general traffic laws) apply to sn- owmobiles except those which, by their nature, have no application." "Any sled, trailer or other de- vice being towed must have reflect- ive material on them." "You can not operate or drive a snowmobile on an airport." "All snowmobiles must be eq'uip- ed at all times with a muffler in good working order." SNOWMOBILES con' t on pg 5 WHERE ARE YOU? There iire any number of homes in Ramsey which still do not have house umbers, either on the house or on a mailbox or post. Now, while we all enjoy our privacy, we also all enjoy our lives and property. And if the police, fire and ambulance can not find your house and several 'nutes are lost you may end up losing your life and/or property to fire, injuries, stroke, heart at- tack, laceration, burglars, thieves etc. ,etc.. Often times we find a row of mailboxes and they are nice- ly numbered and even have names on them. This is wonderful and looks ever so nice, but unless you put up arrows and signs pointing to- ards which house is yours, such rkings don't help a bit. And the two inch letters intertwined in the rosemaling alongside your entryway at the end of a 100 foot driveway leaves much to be desired. please put up some nice, visable ouse numbers. It will be you ho benefits! --Chie f Aus pos PAGE 4